Distilling retort for solid fuels



May 23, 193-3 R. H. CARR ET AL. f 1,910,238

DISTILLING RETORT FOR SOLID FUE-LS Original Filed Oc'b. 29, V1927Patented May 23, 1933v UNITED STATES PATENT FFicE RICHARD H. cana ANDCORNELIUS n. WATSON, or' cHIcAco, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoas To THE PURE OILcoirrAN-Y, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION on OHIO c nIsTILLINGRETOBT Foa SOLID FUELS Original application le October 29, 1997, SerialNo. 229,745. Divided and this application led February 25, 1980. SerialNo. 431,281.

This invention relates to apparatus for eecting the production of lowtemperature coke from solid bituminous fuels and the recovery of thefluid distillates released by 5 the heating of such fuels.

An outstanding object of the invention resides in apparatus for cokingbituminous fuel which provides means for progressively advancing a bodyof coal in a generally up-A and for continuously introducing into theupper portion of said receptacle and into direct contact with the upperpart of the fuel body a highly heated fluid such as steain or oil vapor,so that the temperature of the fuel body will be gradually elevated to acoliing temperature as it nears the top of the receptacle, allowing theheat and pressure in the receptacle to force the volatile distillatesobtained from the fuel in a generally downward direction opposed to thedirection of movement of the upwardly traveling body of coal, wherebyheat exchange is eifected permitting the temperature of the distillateto be lowered and at the same time to raise the temperature of theupwardly moving fuel, the fuel bei'ng moved upwardly through thereceptacle until the volatiles have been substantially extractedtherefrom and low temperature coke produced.y Y

The apparatus further contemplates the removal of this coke from the topof the' receptacle or at its zone of greatest temperature and thecollection of the coke in a discharge conduit or outlet, wherein thecoke is subjected to -pressure and reduced to a. compact, solid,compressed mass which is preferably extruded from the receptacle andshaped to a form suitable for commercial utilization.

It is another object of the invention to provide means for continuouslymaintaining the upper portion of the coal body passing through thereceptacle in an agitated, open Or pervious condition to permit of theready penetration of the heating Huid therethrough, and to overcome thetendency of the coal to produce a thick, tarry mass which would seal theheating fluid from the main body of fuel contained within thereceptacle.

ward direction .through a closed receptacle,v

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken t through the apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein has been illustratedbut a single` form of apparatus which may be used in practicing thepresent invention, although other structural embodiments may be usedwith equivalent results, the numeral 1 designates a cylindrical vesselwhich includes an 'internal substantially closed chamber 2, the vesselbeing formed to comprise, in this instance, a circular Outer wall 3, aclosed bottom wall 4 and a closed top wall 5. The walls 4 and 5 areprovided with axially aligned bearings 6, in which there is mount ed forrotation a centrally situated vertical shaft 7, the bearing in thebottom wall 4 being provided with a stuffing box 8 to prevent the undueescape of fluid from the bottom of the chamber. Below the stuffing boxthe shaft 7 is provided with a worm gear 9, driven b a worm 10 mountedupon a power driven s aft 11, which leads to any suitable 'form of primemover, not shown.

Entering the bottom of the vessel through the outer wall 3 is a fuelfeeding device 12. The latter, inthe diagrammatic form of the inventionillustrated, comprises a hopper 13 into which the fuel, such -,asbituminous coal, is introduced and allowed to gravitate to the bottom ofthe hopper when it registers with the injector nozzle 14, the latterextendsel. Any suitable means, of course, may be employed for operatingtheram 15, it will be understood that any number of feedin devices 12may be employed as desired. t ,is preferablev to provide the shaft 11within the chamber 2 and at a point substantially midway of its lengthwith a fixed auger or colnveyor blade 16, which is arranged spiral yslowly the blade 16, in conjunctionwith the device 12, operates on thebody of fuel within the vessel to elevate the latter substantiallycontinuously at a measured rate of travel.

Adapted to enter the top of the vessel, above the body of fuel arrangedtherein is a steam inlet pipe 17, by means of which superheated steam ata temperature of ap-4 apparatus. The heat, obtained from the superheatedfluid, is permitted to permeate through the body of fuel, graduallycooling or diminishing in temperature as the heat is transmitted towardthe bottom of the vessel into engagement with the fresh incoming fuel,as specified in our aforesaid patent. Thus the temperature of the coalis raised gradually from the time it enters the chamber 3 untildischarged from the upper part of the vessel in the formvof coke. Thereis present an eiiicient and effective heat interchange by which thetemperature of the coal is gradually raisedand the tem perature of thereleased volatiles from the coal gradually decreased, so that when thevolatiles are discharged from the vessel the additional cooling,condensation or liquefaction thereof can be effected very economicallyand eiiiciently. In this instance' the bottomof the vessel is providedwith a circular perforated manifold 18, from which leads a dischargepipe 19, the parts 18 and 19 allowing the vapors to escape from thevessel and to be conducted to a suitable condensing apparatus 20 wherethe vapors are brought to lower temperatures permitting them to assume aliquid form. The manifold 18 may be protected by a baiile wall 21adjacent the nozzle 14 so as to facilitate the escape of the volatilevapors.

In the upper part of the vessel the shaft 7, above the fuel body, isprovided with a rotary rake comprising a ixed hub 22, with which isconnected a plurality of curved radiating arms 23, which'have theirouter ends connected by means of a ring 24. This ring carries aplurality of depending fingers or tines 25, which arel adapted to enteror peneon the shaft and as the latter rotates trate the coal body so asto prevent the latter from caking or hardening along the up'- persurface thereof and thereby interferin with the penetration of the heatobtaine from the superheated fluid. The revolving fingers agitate thecoal body constantly during the operation of the device, eifectin athorough breaking up of glomerating bo ies so as to render the fuelpervious to the penetrating influence of the superheated fluid. Aremovable cover plate 26 is provided in connection with the top wall 5to provide access to the interior of the vessel.

One of the important features of the present invention consists inarranging zontally disposed tangential conduit or outlet 27 at one sideof the vessel 1, and in which conduit there is located an axial shaft28, suitably driven, and having 4its inner end provided with helicalblades 29, which constitute augers or conveyors for advancing thematerial in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. As theagitator 111 the top of thevessel rotates the coke, by reason of theform of the arms 23, is forced toward the outer wall 3 of said vessel,where it is delivered into the conduit 27, and is then engaged by therotating conveyor or auger within said conduit and forced from theapparatus in solid, compact and extruded form. The conduit is preferablysurrounded by a steam heating jacket 30, which serves to maintain lthetemperature of the a horicoke during the operation "of the compressingmeans. v

In' view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present inventionprovides a method of producing low temperature coke through theprovision of a continuously op ei'ating and efficient apparatus,whereinthe heat developed within the system is utilized to its maximumextent and waste thereof precluded. By the provision of the cokecompressing means coke in the form of solid compact bodies is dischargedfrom the system and is capable of being cut or broken into suitablelengths well adapted for commercial handling. This overcomes acharacteristic commonly observed in coke produced by low temperaturemethods, and which coke is ordinarily soft and is apt to crumble orbreakv when subjected to forces ordinarily present in handling.

It will be observed that the receptacle or vessel 1 is sealed againstundue fluid escape so that the steam, or other heated fluid such lll toavoid excessive heating of the fuel to minimize undesired Amoleculardecomposition thereof. It will be understood that there is no activecombustion on the part of the fuel body within the receptacle. Therevolving agitators 23 and 25 serve to break up the fuel body at or nearthe zone of highest temperature. This is important to permit of theproper penetration of the heat into 1 the fuel body. Due to the natureof the fuel handled there is a tendency on the part thereof to becomestic tarry or agglomerate when in the zone o higher temperature, but bythe provision of the agitating means this tendency on the part of thefuel is overcome and the fuel is maintained in a loose, disintegratedpliable condition suitable for the penetration of the heat.

Due to the introduction of the steam or other fluid into the top of thevessel a certain amount of pressure is developed, usually less than fivepounds per square inch, in the top of the vessel. Thus through stheprovision of this relatively low pressure and also due to thedisintegration ofthe coal, the

heat is permitted t0 penetrate the coal or fuel body elfectively and toforce the released volatiles or distillates in a directioncountercurrent to the positive advance of the fuel.

Then, through the provision of the extrusion means the coke is removedfrom the vessel in a condition suitable for handling,

storage and transportation.

What is claimed is:

A low-temperature, carbonization retort comprising a shell provided witha substantially closed distilling chamber, means for introducin coalinto the lower portion of said cham er, rotatable means mounted in 40said chamber for effecting positive advance of said coal inasubstantially upward direction through said chamber in a substantiallyloosened and fluid pervious state, means for introducing a gaseous.heating medium into the upper part of said chamber f above the body ofcoal contained therein to effect a progressive increase in temperatureof the coal during its upward movement through the chamber, whereby togradually raise the temperature of the coal to a nondestructive cokingtemperature, a coke outlet in communication with the upper portion ofsaid chamber, a li uid outlet in the lower portion of said cham er throuh which the products of distillation Yare wit drawn from the chamber,and a rotary rake mounted in the upper portion of said chamber forengagement with the coal whereby to render the latter pervious to fluidpenetration when heated to temperatures rendering the samesubstantiallyplastic.

In testimony whereof we aiiix oursignatures.

RICHARD H. CARR. CORNELIUS B. WATSON.

